Work begins on new £44m Police command centre in Speke
Work has begun on a new multi million pound police command centre in Speke.
Work's begun on a new £44m command centre for Merseyside Police in Speke.
The purpose-built three-storey building which is being built on the Estuary Business Park in Speke on vacant land bounded by Speke Hall Avenue and Leeward Drive, will house all the teams which make up the force’s Matrix Serious and Organised Crime (MSOC) unit.
There will also be a separate, single-storey building which will provide “administration and support services” and further smaller buildings including the dog kennels, a fuel station and a gatehouse on Leeward Drive which will control access to the site.
A detailed application for the centre was first submitted to the council in July 2015. Following consultation and review, Liverpool City Council’s Head of Planning recommended the application be approved and the centre was formally given the go-ahead by city councillors last November. It is expected that work will be completed on the new Centre by the end of 2017.
The centre is an integral part of the Commissioner’s 10-year strategy to transform and modernise Merseyside Police’s station and facilities, while working to reduce the annual running costs of the police’s buildings by £2.5m.
Jane said: “I’m so pleased that we are now at a stage when work can officially get underway on Merseyside Police’s new Operational Command Centre.
“The OCC demonstrates our commitment to fighting serious and organised crime. All the teams that carry out this work will now be located together in a new centre designed specifically for this purpose which will enable them to be even more effective and efficient as they continue the fight against the criminal gangs responsible for most of the non-domestic violent crime here.
“The new centre will also save costs by enabling the Force to release a number of small, leased buildings which are scattered across Merseyside and are not fit for purpose. This will reduce Merseyside Police’s annual running costs, enabling even more money to be redirected towards frontline policing.”
The centre will be part funded by capital specifically set aside for the Force’s buildings and part borrowed from approved sources, in accordance with the Prudential Code for capital finance. This money is completely separate from, and cannot be diverted to, the funding used to pay for Merseyside Police’s officers and staff.
Chief Constable Sir Jon Murphy said: “We need a command centre that’s modern and fit for the purposes of policing.
“Tackling serious and organised crime is a priority for the force and this new facility will mean that our officers and staff can work efficiently to tackle these most serious of crimes in our communities.
“It makes no sense for us to remain in buildings which are no longer suitable for policing and the Operational Command Centre is specifically designed for the requirements of a modern police force and will also be fit for the future.”
The buildings will also be designed to meet the latest standards in energy efficiency, including LED light throughout and possibly solar panels on the roof to make sure it is as cheap as possible. It was assessed by city council planners as “well designed to be interesting architecturally and to preserve and enhance its ecological value in a landscaped setting”. The site will also provide car parking and land for dog exercise and training.
Mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson, said: “This is an important development which will provide excellent new facilities for Merseyside Police in their fight against some of the most serious crimes, helping keep our communities safe. I support any move that delivers savings and more money for bobbies on the beat.”
Construction infrastructure specialists Morgan Sindall have been appointed as principal contractors on the site.